Gardai vote in favour of strike action

DUBLIN, Ireland - In a ballot of the Garda Representative Association members, the majority of those who cast their vote have demanded industrial action over the pay and conditions.

Two-thirds (66 percent) of GRA members are said to have participated in the ballot and 95.5 percent of the 10,500 members that voted, said they were unhappy. 4.7 percent of the members voted against strike action. 

In a statement, GRA President Ciaran O'Neill said, “We surveyed our members to find out if there is an appetite for industrial action.  The reason for this is because our members have done everything that was asked of them, and the reluctance of the government to reward our patience has driven us towards this move. It is not surprising to hear that our members are willing to take some form of industrial action to see their pay and conditions restored. A draft agreement was concluded with the Department of Justice following negotiations. This was discussed by the Central Executive Committee yesterday. It was decided that our Special Delegate Conference tomorrow will discuss this draft agreement further and decide the best way to proceed.”

After revealing the results, the association is set to meet again in a Special Delegate Conference in Tullamore to discuss the terms of the deal merely days after unions and the Department of Justice decided on a deal. 

The discussions have been on for months now and after outrightly rejecting the Lansdowne Road Agreement, a week back the GRA eventually agreed to sign it. 

GRA had previously stressed on the government’s non-payment under the Haddington Road Agreement.

This would result in the lifting of the freeze on members’ pay increments.

The deal further states that new recruits would get over 4,000 euros in rent allowance.

O'Neill added, “A draft agreement was concluded with the Department of Justice following negotiations. This was discussed by the Central Executive Committee on Monday. It was decided that our Special Delegate Conference on Wednesday will discuss this draft agreement further and decide the best way to proceed.”